Reply by PurpLev

yes. this is the SAFER way to do it: safer when compared to the other alternative of trapping the board between the blade and the fence, creating a very high likelihood for a nasty kick back.

that said, depending on how wide the board you are attempting to cut is, this could still be an unsafe cut. make sure you use featherboards, and GOOD push blocks and keep your hands away from the blade. mind you, when cutting bevels, there is a larger surface coming in contact with the blade, also the blade is cutting at an angle and has a tendency to lift and push your board to the side – thus featherboards really adds a lot of safety and help make a cleaner cut in those cases.